Preventing and Responding to Physical Aggression

Principals of physical intervention

• There must be good grounds for believing that there is immediate danger of injury or serious damage to property.
• It should be a last resort.
• Non-physical methods must have been tried and have failed.
• Only the minimum force necessary should be applied.
  Wherever possible the intervention should be witnessed by other staff.

Intervention should:

• Stop as soon as possible.
• Be for care and control not punishment.
• Not be used merely to force compliance.

Any approved method of handling the subject should meet the following criteria:

Use the minimum force necessary for the minimum amount of time.
Do not hit or strike at the subject.
Do not involve deliberately inflicting pain on the subject, e.g. do not use finger holds or those that lock joints.
Do not restrict the subject’s breathing.  Ensure nothing is pressing or likely to press on the airway, e.g. do not use throat holds or push face against soft furnishing.
Avoid hands touching on or around the genital areas, the buttocks or breast area of the subject.
Avoid placing weight on the patient’s spine or abdomen.

 In addition it is advisable, given all the circumstances of a situation to:

Seek to lower a patient’s level of arousal during any physical intervention by offering reassurance and by avoiding the generation of a fear of physical injury in the subject.
Cause the minimum level of restriction of movement of limbs which is consistent with the risk of injury.
Be aware of the possibility of accidental injury by using an appropriate method suitable to the environment in which is takes place.

Physical Contact

Reasons to touch:

To comfort
To assist
To greet
To reassure
To protect

Reasons not to touch:

For one’s own gratification
To exert power/authority
If it will be seen as a criminal act
If it will be dangerous
Or it will evoke unpleasant memories, e.g. – physical abuse.
Cultural considerations